SB 635

Landlords and Prospective Tenants - Residential Leases - Criminal History Review (Maryland Fair Chance in Housing Act)

Sponsor: Chris West (District 42)Committee: Judicial ProceedingsSubject: Real PropertyStatus: Hearing 3/07 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Nov 13, 2024)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Altering the number of years of criminal history, from 7 years to 3 years, that are reviewed in a certain reusable tenant screening report; establishing certain prohibitions and limitations on the review and consideration of a prospective tenant's criminal history; and requiring a landlord that denies the lease application of a prospective tenant to provide the individual with a physical document stating with particularity each reason for the denial.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (28)

MGA witness list

FAV 18FavorableFWA 7Favorable with amendmentsUNF 3Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Hudson, Lee	Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA	Position only
FAV	Cook, Chuck	Department of Housing and Community Development	Written (PDF)
FAV	Reynolds-Dominguez, Camilalobbyist	FreeState Justice	Position only
FAV	Agarin, Ufuoma	Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Evans, Arianna	Life After Release	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Gray, Rita	Life After Release	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Johnson, Qiana	Life After Release	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kess, NaShonalobbyist	Maryland NAACP	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Frey, Leslie	Montgomery County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Britt, Adiena	N/A	Position only
FAV	West, Christopher	Senator Chris West	Written (PDF)
FAV	Clark, Karen	UULM-MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Benhoff, Jean	Individual	Position only
FAV	Lent, Michael	Individual	Position only
FAV	Pack, Jr., Gordon	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator West, Senator Westlegislator	Individual	Oral
UNF	Jones, Brenda	Families Advocating Intelligent Registries (FAIR)	Written (PDF)
UNF	Castelli, Williamlobbyist	Rifkin, Weiner, Livingston LLC	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
FWA	Washington, Ryanlobbyist	Apartment and Office Building Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Hypolite, Crystal	Housing Authority of Baltimore City	Written (PDF)
FWA	Shah, Zafar	Maryland Legal Aid	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Turner, Albert	Renters United Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Johnson, Carolyn	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Wiggins, Grasonlobbyist	Individual	Oral
FWA	Yost, E.V.	Individual	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Apartment and Office Building AssociationFWA 1

Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCAFAV 1

Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentFAV 1

Families Advocating Intelligent Registries (FAIR)UNF 1

FreeState JusticeFAV 1

Housing Authority of Baltimore CityFWA 1

Legislative Black Caucus of MarylandFAV 1

Life After ReleaseFAV 3

Maryland Legal AidFWA 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland NAACPFAV 1

Montgomery CountyFAV 1

N/AFAV 1

Renters United MarylandFWA 1

Rifkin, Weiner, Livingston LLCUNF 1

Senator Chris WestFAV 1

UULM-MDFAV 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVReynolds-Dominguez, CamilaFreeState JusticeRegistered for: FreeState Justice

FAVKess, NaShonaMaryland NAACPRegistered for: NAACP Maryland State Conference of Branches

UNFCastelli, WilliamRifkin, Weiner, Livingston LLCRegistered for: ASC Engineered Solutions; Berkshire Hathaway Energy GT&S, LLC; Board of County Commissioners of Allegany County, MD; Brown Advisory; Cable Telecommunications Association of Maryland, Delaware and D.C., Inc.; Colonial Pipeline Company…

FWAWashington, RyanApartment and Office Building AssociationRegistered for: AOBA; National Apartment Association; Apartment & Office Building Association

FWAWiggins, GrasonRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce; United Way of Central Maryland, Inc.; Madison Marquette Property Investments LLC; Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund; Family Tree, The; OVG Facilities…